More specialty license plates could soon hit Illinois roads

Friday

Feb 26, 2010 at 12:01 AMFeb 26, 2010 at 7:42 PM

While some cash-strapped organizations use fees from the plates to fund essential service programs, others don't have enough support for the state to even get them on the roads. And some critics argue law enforcement has too difficult a time reading and telling apart all the special plates already on the roads.

Lawmakers are pushing to get even more special license plates on the road this spring.

Groups ranging from rescue diving teams and air force veterans to even corporations could see legislators approve placards for their causes.

While some cash-strapped organizations use fees from the plates to fund essential service programs, others don't have enough support for the state to even get them on the roads. And some critics argue law enforcement has too difficult a time reading and telling apart all the special plates already on the roads.

The new plates

The plates are a popular item on lawmakers' agendas this year with 12 bills filed -- six House bills and six Senate bills.

Rep. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, is pushing House Bill 4966. It would authorize plates for soil and water conservation districts and St. Jude's Children Research Hospital.

Rose said Butch Fisher with the Douglas County Soil and Water Conservation District spoke about how the districts were hurting financially.

"Basically the state hasn't paid them, so they're trying to find ways to keep going," he said.

Fisher said most districts statewide have little money to work with especially after a statewide grant program was nixed several years ago.

"It seems like every year we have to beg for money," he said. "We've just started seeing how bad the situation is."

Soil and water conservation districts do not have the power to tax, Fisher said.

Rose sponsored a similar measure last year that only included the soil and water districts. It passed in the House but stalled in the Senate.

Rep. David Reis, R-Willow Hill, is backing House Bill 5301 to issue special license plates for diving rescue teams.

Reis said Effingham County Dive Team Commander Terry Trueblood told him about the financial difficulties rescue divers were facing.

"They provide emergency services for multiple counties, so Effingham County taxpayers were like, 'Why should we fund all of this?'" he said.

Trueblood said the money would pay for essential supplies and training only.

"Nobody's going to Florida on a dive trip with this money," he said.

Rep. Carole Sente, D-Vernon Hills, is pushing House Bill 6003 to create the Multiple Sclerosis Assistance license plate. She introduced the legislation to support people in her district who suffer from the disease.

Chicago Democratic Sen. Mattie Hunter is sponsoring Senate Bill 2608 that would create the Friends of Track and Field license plate.

Sen. Dale Risinger, R-Peoria, is backing Senate Bill 2617, which would provide special license plates for retired Air Force veterans.

He introduced the bill after a retired Air Force veteran spoke about the numerous military-related plates that were already approved.

"I can't argue with that," Risinger said.

And there's House Bill 6106 to allow corporate sponsorship of license plates where they pay for the plate of a driver who chooses their plate design. Rep. Joe Lyons, D-Chicago, pushed the bill on behalf of a constituent looking for ways for the state to bring in more money but doesn't expect it to go far in the legislature this year.

Getting support

Illinois is no stranger to specialty license plates, with lawmakers pushing an array of bills for new plates each session.

A list from Secretary of State Jesse White's office shows more than 70 specialty plates approved, not counting separate plates for many state colleges and universities. Some plates are very popular, including environmental plates with more than 44,000 issued and firefighter plates with more than 30,000 issued.

Just getting approval from legislators isn't enough for the special plates to hit the road.

Henry Haupt, spokesman for the secretary of state's office, said a license plate must get 1,500 orders before it is produced. Plates for military awards do not require a minimum order. Decatur-based Macon Resources manufactures the plates once the orders are placed.

The Knights of Columbus fell victim to a lack of support after its plate was approved several years ago.

Candace Wanzo, special plates administrator for the secretary of state's office, said they received only 28 requests for the plates.

Knights of Columbus State Deputy Jim Bednar said they were required to get more request orders than other groups whose plates were approved.

"It was very irritating," he said. "We quit pushing it right after that."

Bednar said the minimum requirement should be cut to 250 orders.

The Illinois D.A.R.E. program has also not seen its special plates produced because of a lack of orders. D.A.R.E. Officers Association President Mark Siegel said the effort lost steam because officers are rotated every few years.

"Sometimes projects get shuffled around, and the best of intentions kind of get forgotten about," he said.

Fisher said there should be enough supporters for the plates to be produced.

Trueblood said while it may take time to get 1,500 orders, he believes the diving community statewide would be supportive.

"We're looking to tap into that market," he said. "We felt like the plate would be something that people would be interested in buying."

Plate criticism

Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa, has been a longtime opponent of specialty plates - most vocally in his unsuccessful bid for secretary of state in 2006.

Rutherford said he votes “no” to all new specialty plates bills, arguing that law officers can't distinguish between the dozens of plates that are issued.

During a traffic stop, he said, officers must look up the plate and call the dispatcher, who enters a code for the specific plate. If even one digit is off, officers could receive the wrong information.

Rutherford said Florida police mistook a couple for a well-known gang member during a routine traffic stop.

Limey Nargelenas with the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police said the chiefs were against special plates when lawmakers first approved them.

That changed once the secretary of state let officers review them before they are released. There is even a police memorial license plate.

Illinois State Police spokesman Scott Compton said his agency has not taken a position on specialty plates.

"There are numerous specialty plates in Illinois, and our officers become accustomed to them," he said. "It has not caused an issue."

Trueblood said while the state has enough special plates, he argued that this was the "least intrusive" way to get money without taxing residents.

Rose, whose father died from cancer and whose mother is a breast cancer survivor, said lawmakers should not be concerned about adding new license plates.

Other ideas

Some lawmakers think specialty plates could go a different direction.

Rose said officials at the secretary of state's office balked at having organizations buy stickers to put on existing plates, saying that would require major effort in replating vehicles already out there. Risinger agrees.

"You've have a lot of different groups that have had their specialty plates for a long time," Risinger said. "They don't want to go to a sticker from what they have."

Risinger suggests requiring one regular license plate on each vehicle's rear and allowing specialty plates on the front only.

"If the majority of other states can get by with one license plate, I don't understand why we can't," he said.

John Guidroz can be reached at John.guidroz@sj-r.com. Matt Hopf can be reached at Matt.hopf@sj-r.com.

PLATE BILLS

Here is a list of some bills introduced this session to create more specialty license plates:

House Bill 4966 -- sponsored by Rep. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet. Would create the Soil and Water Conservation District specialty license plate and the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital specialty license plate.

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